Insulated masonry blocks

ABSTRACT

A wall construction having a plurality of contiguous courses of contiguous blocks adhesively secured to each other, each block comprising external and internal solid load bearing masonary portions with an intervening cellular heat insulating organic foam material portion bonded therebetween, wherein the thicknesses of the inner, outer, and intervening portions are substantially the same, and wherein a filamentary reinforcing grid composed of a plurality of closely spaced lengthwise extending filaments in two groups overlying successive internal and external portions of the blocks and low heat conducting cross ties for the filaments and extending across the cellular block portion in selected courses of the blocks in the wall. A moisture and heat sealing head may be applied between the courses and at the block ends within a course in the area of the cellular foam.

United States Patent 1151 3,653,170 Sheckler [4 1 Apr. 4, 1972 [54] INSULATED MASONRY BLOCKS 2,676,482 4/1954 Wilson ..52/564 2,845,152 7/1958 Parent ..52/376 [72] Inventor Bndge 2,872,882 2/1959 Paul ..52/408 3,000,144 9/1961 Kitson ..52/309 [22] Filed: Nov. 2, 1966 [21] Appl.N0.: 591,651

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 141,174, Sept 27, 1961,

abandoned.

[52] US. Cl ..52/375, 52/309, 52/442, 52/565, 52/712 [51] Int. Cl. E04b 2/02, E04b 1/64 [58] Field ofSearch ..52/375,371, 372,404,405, 52/309, 712, 565,442

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 874,881 12/1907 Baker ..52/712 1,310,220 7/1919 Taylor .....52/375 1,334,600 3/1920 Eades... ..52/410 1,347,869 7/1920 Osborne 106/86 1,419,713 6/1922 Berier... .....52/606 1,489,137 4/1924 Lechat.. .....52/408 1,592,408 7/1926 Zahner ..52/213 1,815,921 7/1931 Lapof ..52/408 2,007,148 7/1935 White et al.. .....52/405 2,226,220 12/1940 Cox 1 1 ..52/306 2,268,251 12/1941 Haux ..52/405 2,351,615 6/1944 James ..52/258 2,449,458 9/1948 Dryden.. .....52/408 2,548,576 4/1951 Willson ..52/262 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,070,210 7/1954 France 809,961 8/ l 951 Germany 758,829 10/ 1 956 Great Britain 856,677 12/1960 Great Britain 203 ,307 6/1939 Switzerland Primary Examiner-F rank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill, Jr. Att0rney-F. P. Keiper {5 7] ABSTRACT A wall construction having a plurality of contiguous courses of contiguous blocks adhesively secured to each other, each block comprising external and internal solid load bearing masonary portions with an intervening cellular heat insulating organic foam material portion bonded therebetween, wherein the thicknesses of the inner, outer, and intervening portions are substantially the same, and wherein a filamentary reinforcing grid composed of a plurality of closely spaced lengthwise extending filaments in two groups overlying successive internal and external portions of the blocks and low heat conducting cross ties for the filaments and extending across the cellular block portion in selected courses of the blocks in the wall. A moisture and heat sealing head may be applied between the courses and at the block ends within a course in the area of the cellular foam.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 4 I972 3,653,170

SHEET 1 OF 2 70 i- Ji -'11 mam 6 4 INVENTOR. ADDISON .C. SHECKLER ATTORNEY INSULATED MASONRY BLOCKS This is a continuation of application Ser. No. I41 I74 filed Sept. 27, 1961, now abandoned.

This invention relates to building construction, and more particularly to outside or curtain wall construction employing masonry blocks with provision for minimizing thermal conductance.

It is well known that concrete blocks employed in building construction have the characteristic of high heat conductance, and when employed, it is the practice to employ dead air space and heat insulation interior of the exterior wall, in order to avoid high heating costs in cold climates, or high air conditioning cost, in the warmer climates. The heating costs resulting from such construction however renders it uneconomical to heat by electricity where extended cold periods are encountered.

The present invention is directed to the construction of exterior building walls or inside walls, which for example might be employed for cold storage rooms and the like, with blocks composed of inner and outer portions of concrete or similar load bearing material having an intervening layer of cellular insulating material such as a polymer foam, glass or other foam, the intervening layer forming a continuous barrier to the transmission of heat between the outer and inner load bearing portions of the exterior wall.

More particularly the invention has to do with composite building blocks of the standard configurations such as 8 X 8 X 16 inches wherein the inner and outer portions of the block are of load bearing concrete several inches thick, and are bonded to an intervening core of glass foam or organic polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, asphaltic foam or the like, which material provided for low heat conduction. Such cellular material will preferably be rendered fire resistant by addition of halogenated compounds such as polychlorinated polyphenals to asphaltic foams, or the use of trichloromonofluoromethane as an expanding gas for polyurethane. The blocks are so constructed as to provide bonding between the outer masonry load bearing portion and the intervening cellular material, either by mechanical or adhesive bonding, it being a feature of the invention to provide a block of adequate load bearing strength such that when the blocks are laid in a wall construction, there is a substantially continuous intervening layer of cellular heat insulation material which minimizes conduction between the outer and inner wall surfaces to the extent such that electrical heating, for example, may be employed to heat the building structure economically.

The above and other novel features of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is expressly understood that the drawings are employed for purposes ofillustration only are are not designed as a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being had for this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a wall structure employing the blocks.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view ofa standard block.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through a building structure corner taken substantially on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view through a window or door frame structure taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through the upper portion of a window frame and the wall thereabove substantially on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view for illustrating the method of laying such blocks.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a block treated just prior to application to a wall under construction; and

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view of a block employing mechanical interlocks between the side load bearing portions and the intervening cellular insulating material.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a wall 20 composed of a plurality of composite blocks constructed in accordance with the invention of standard exterior dimension such as 8 X 8 X 16 inches, such blocks being indicated at 22. Additionally there are shown corner blocks 24 and 25, as well as blocks of standard size as at 26, and half sizes as at 28 for use in abutting relation to door and window frames, there being shown a window frame 30, which may be of wood construction, having uprights 32 and 34, and sill and lintle members 36 and 38.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a block of a standard shape, such as 8 X 8 X 16 inches wherein the inner and outer portions 40 and 42 are of adequate strength concrete or other masonry material such as, glazed tile, either exterior or interior, or both, and adapted to provide a finished surface as desired and wherein the core or intervening layer 44 is of polystyrene foam or other cellular rigid material. The core is bonded to the inner and outer portions 40 and 42 as at 46 and 48, by high strength adhesives, such as rigid resins or elastomeric adhesives, or a water dispersion of an elastomer, either virgin or reclaim, or by the mere Interlocking and bonding provided by cement or other binder present in the masonry material of the outer and inner portions or of added cements such as sodium silicate. It will be seen that the block of FIG. 2 has a continuous insulating heat barrier between the outer wall face 50 and the inner face 52, resulting from the unbroken presence of the cellular core 44. The blocks may be made by precasting the foam core, and casting the concrete faces to said core, or the blocks may be made by precasting both core and faces and cementing the components together. The blocks may also be made by precasting the masonry faces, and forming the insulation material between spaced masonry face components. Additionally the blocks may be made by precasting the masonry faces, and applying the insulation by frothing and pour filling.

It has been recognized in concrete block construction, for example that the greater load in any concrete block wall is born by the outer and inner portions of the block, and such blocks for reasons of economy, and lightness in handling have been formed with vertical windows or open spaces centrally thereof without altering the ultimate wall strength. In the composite blocks shown in FIG. 1, there is adequate load supporting strength, wherein an 8 inch wide block, the outer portions 40 and 42 are in the order of 2 to 2% inches thick and the intervening cellular material 44 is 4 to 3 inches thick. A curtain wall, such as employed for a cold room may employ a thicker cellular portion and correspondingly thinner outer masonry portions. Such cellular material is of sufficient tensile strength to secure the outer and inner masonry portions in rigid spaced relation, and such cellular material, while exhibiting compressive strength, is not exposed to loads of such nature to any appreciable degree.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a corner construction employing a corner block 24, and adjoining blocks 22 of standard exterior shape. The corner block may have a rounded exterior member, 60 which is planar for a half or more of its length as indicated at 62, and rounded to provide a quarter-round cylindrical surface 64 or 8 inches or shorter radius. The inner member 65 has an inner surface area 66 of a length equal to one half that of a standard block, plus the thickness of the member, such as 2 or 2% as employed for the inner and outer portions 40 and 42 of the standard block, and the inner member is rounded as at 68, and the outer member has a rounded inner surface 70 whereby the cellular core 72 is on uniform thickness radially at the corner, as well as elsewhere. Only one form of such corner member is required, since the numbers may be alternately reversed, the blocks so reversed, being indicated at 25 in FIG. 1. Otherwise the blocks 24 and 25 may be identical.

The cellular foam material forming the cores 44 and 72 of the blocks 22 and 24 referred to, may be readily nailed to, drilled to receive conduits, and where exposed around the top or end edges, the core is highly receptive to the fastening of other building members, sills, plates and the like thereto by means of nailing and cementing with such materials as epoxy cement and the like.

For a door opening, or a window opening, plain full and half blocks corresponding to FIG. 2 may be employed. If desired, blocks such as shown in FIG. 4 may be employed wherein a wood insert 76 is provided in the block end. The wood insert may be treated for permanence and fire proofing. Such inserts 76 as shown is dovetailed as at 77 between the outer and inner masonry portions 78 and 80, and the remainder of the intervening space is filled with the cellular core material 82. The blocks, and half blocks so modified as at 26 and 28 may be laid up to provide a window or door opening, and the framing of such window or door, such as the members 32 or 34 may be readily nailed, as at 75, to the inserts 76 of the blocks such as 26 and 28.

IN FIG. 6, there is shown a procedure for laying the blocks wherein a grid structure is employed between successive layers made of lengthwise extending filaments 80, 82 and 84, and 86, 88 and 90, the filaments 80 and 82 and 84 being spaced about seven-eighths of an inch so as to lie over the masonry portions 40 and 42 of the blocks 22. Such filaments may be tied together on either side as by short wires or filaments 92, and at intervals by cross ties 94 adapted to extend across the cellular core 44 of the blocks. The latter cross ties are preferably held to a minimum as required by prerequisite strength, so as to hold the thermal conductivity at a minimum. While high strength steel wire may be used, strong nylon, glass or other filaments may be used which would lessen any heat conduction which might otherwise result, if metal were employed. The cross ties 94, if of metal, will be high strength small gage, to lessen heat conduction. Such reinforcing material may be made in long lengths and supplied in rolled up form, whereby the same may be readily unrolled into position as each successive layer of blocks are added and cemented in place. In constructing such a wall, blocks 22 as shown in FIG. 7 may be coated with bonding material along the upper and one end of the masonry portions of each block before setting in position as indicated at 100 and 101 and 104 and 105, the amount thereof being increased along the surfaces 100 and 104 where the bonding grid is employed.

If it is desired that a water or vapor tight seal be incorporated in the wall this may be obtained by applying a narrow continuous bead of sealing material longitudinally along the upper and one end face of the cellular portions as indicated in FIG. 7, at 107, it being understood that the head will be present in all adjoining surfaces in a completed wall, and thereby act as a perfect barrier. The sealing material, such as a plastic sealing compound, may be a preformed strip sealing compound, or may be applied as a continuous bead from a gun. One suitable material may be an asbestos filled asphaltum compound.

In FIG. 8 a modified block is shown wherein the cellular core 110 and masonry portions 112 and 1 14 are provided with interlocking dovetails and grooves as indicated at 116, the dovetails being staggered, or complementally arranged to pro vide a substantially uniform thickness of the core material, and a subsequent uniform insulating effect.

In window and door construction, the lintle may be provided with a pair of angle irons such as 120 and 122 (See FIGS. 1 and which are spaced apart to avoid heat conduction, and the upward extending flanges 123 of which are driven into or embedded in the cellular core of the blocks thereabove. The upper framing members such as 38 may be nailed to the core material as indicated at 124 or otherwise secured as by adhesives or other mechanical fasteners.

It will be readily seen from foregoing that exterior or curtain walls may be constructed in much the same manner as concrete block walls, with economy in labor and with a strength the equivalent or better than achieved by concrete. It will also be seen that the blocks with the lightweight cellular portion, are lighter in weight, and where the thickness of outer masonry portion is reduced as in blocks for curtain wall construction, the weight is further reduced to a substantial degree. With walls constructed as set forth, interior and exterior surfaces are adopted to receive final finishing such as plaster or paint without further construction such as insulation and furrmg. At the same time a wall having a high thermal insulation results.

While several variations of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. As various changes in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, reference will be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A thermal insulation load supporting building block for wall construction comprising a composite block having external and internal solid load bearing masonry outer portions of substantially like lateral thickness, an intervening portion of cellular heat insulating organic foam material having a substantially unifonn lateral thickness substantially as great as the thickness of said outer portions, said intervening portion being bonded to both of said outer portions over their entire contacting faces, said cellular portion terminating short of one end of said masonry portions, and a wood insert disposed between the masonry portions at said end in interlocking relation thereto, said insert abutting the cellular portion and together with the cellular portion filling the space between said masonry portions.

2. A load supporting thermally insulated building wall comprising successive courses of elongated composite blocks, of rectangular configuration, each of said blocks comprising external and internal solid load bearing masonry outer portions of substantially like lateral thickness and an intervening portion of cellular heat insulating foam material having a substantially uniform lateral thickness at least as great as the thickness of said outer portions, said intervening portions being bonded to both of said outer portions, said blocks being adhesively joined to adjacent blocks in a course and to the blocks of courses above and below by adhesive applied to the upper and lower and end surfaces of the outer portions, and a moisture barrier seal in the form of a bead of sealing material applied lengthwise to the top and bottom and end abutting surfaces of the intervening cellular portions thereof.

3. A load supporting thermally insulated building wall comprising successive courses of elongated composite blocks, of rectangular configuration, each of said blocks comprising external and internal solid load bearing masonry portions of substantially like lateral thickness and an intervening portion of cellular heat insulating foam material having a substantially uniform lateral thickness at least as great as the thickness of said outer portions, said intervening portions being bonded to both of said outer portions, said blocks being adhesively joined to adjacent blocks in a course and to the blocks of courses above and below by adhesive applied to the upper and lower and end surfaces of the outer portions, and a filamentary grid disposed between and extending lengthwise of the courses, said grid comprising a plurality of relatively closely spaced lengthwise extending filaments disposed in two groups overlying the successive external and internal portions of the blocks of a course and filamentary cross ties for the lengthwise filaments of a group, and filamentary cross ties of low heat conductivity connecting the two groups and extending across the cellular portion of said blocks.

4. A building wall in accordance with claim 3, wherein a narrow moisture barrier seal in the form of a bead of heat sealing material is applied lengthwise to the top and bottom and abutting surfaces of the intervening cellular portions of the blocks and centrally of the width of the cellular portions. 

1. A thermal insulation load supporting building block for wall construction comprising a composite block having external and internal solid load bearing masonry outer portions of substantially like lateral thickness, an intervening portion of cellular heat insulating organic foam material having a substantially uniform lateral thickness substantially as great as the thickness of said outer portions, said intervening portion being bonded to both of said outer portions over their entire contacting faces, said cellular portion terminating short of one end of said masonry portions, and a wood insert disposed between the masoNry portions at said end in interlocking relation thereto, said insert abutting the cellular portion and together with the cellular portion filling the space between said masonry portions.
 2. A load supporting thermally insulated building wall comprising successive courses of elongated composite blocks, of rectangular configuration, each of said blocks comprising external and internal solid load bearing masonry outer portions of substantially like lateral thickness and an intervening portion of cellular heat insulating foam material having a substantially uniform lateral thickness at least as great as the thickness of said outer portions, said intervening portions being bonded to both of said outer portions, said blocks being adhesively joined to adjacent blocks in a course and to the blocks of courses above and below by adhesive applied to the upper and lower and end surfaces of the outer portions, and a moisture barrier seal in the form of a bead of sealing material applied lengthwise to the top and bottom and end abutting surfaces of the intervening cellular portions thereof.
 3. A load supporting thermally insulated building wall comprising successive courses of elongated composite blocks, of rectangular configuration, each of said blocks comprising external and internal solid load bearing masonry portions of substantially like lateral thickness and an intervening portion of cellular heat insulating foam material having a substantially uniform lateral thickness at least as great as the thickness of said outer portions, said intervening portions being bonded to both of said outer portions, said blocks being adhesively joined to adjacent blocks in a course and to the blocks of courses above and below by adhesive applied to the upper and lower and end surfaces of the outer portions, and a filamentary grid disposed between and extending lengthwise of the courses, said grid comprising a plurality of relatively closely spaced lengthwise extending filaments disposed in two groups overlying the successive external and internal portions of the blocks of a course and filamentary cross ties for the lengthwise filaments of a group, and filamentary cross ties of low heat conductivity connecting the two groups and extending across the cellular portion of said blocks.
 4. A building wall in accordance with claim 3, wherein a narrow moisture barrier seal in the form of a bead of heat sealing material is applied lengthwise to the top and bottom and abutting surfaces of the intervening cellular portions of the blocks and centrally of the width of the cellular portions. 